天美影视传媒

Hanks Honored for Community Service

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Posted on May 11, 2018

Alice Jackson

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Dr. Roma Hanks, professor and chair of sociology, anthropology and social work at the 天美影视传媒, is the 2018 recipient of the Heart of Gold Volunteer Award for Mobile County presented by the United Way of Southwest Alabama.

The award recognized Hanks for her dedication and hard work to improve health and wellness education for seniors and their families, plus her efforts to connect 120 South students to internships that will lead them to careers in health care and gerontology.

鈥淪he is described as brilliant, kind, unique and determined to ensure there is a future workforce that is educated and trained to service older adults,鈥� said Walter Brandt, chair of the United Way鈥檚 Mobile County Committee for Community Impact, as he presented the award. 鈥淗er research and grant writing efforts with Via (Health, Fitness and Enrichment Center/Senior Citizens Services of Mobile) resulted in a grant award from the National Institutes of Health and the Gulf States Health Policy Center to study policy issues that affect Mobile鈥檚 ability to maintain an age-friendly community that supports people of all ages, backgrounds and circumstances.鈥�

The Gulf States Health Policy Center is a comprehensive community, education and research center focused on improving health outcomes in the Gulf States Region, including Bayou La Batre, where Hanks is involved with the local coalition.

Brandt added that Hanks鈥� work for the grant led to policies on transportation, health care, healthy food acquisition, and safety and security that have been presented to 600 local business and community leaders for incorporation into future community planning initiatives.

鈥淭his was a tremendous honor for me,鈥� Hanks said. 鈥淓verything I do, including the activities that may have led to me being nominated for this award, depends on the community and the activities that have potential benefits for the community.鈥�

Hanks is also co-director of community engagement for the Center for Healthy Communities in the USA College of Medicine.

Hanks, whose research focus includes intergenerational relationships, invited two graduate students to accompany her to the awards reception 鈥渂ecause I wanted people of the community who would be there to see the faces of the future, and those students met a lot of people, so that was a bonus in addition to receiving the award.鈥�

Barbara Estes, director of resource development at Via, nominated Hanks, who is also a member of their board, for the award.

鈥淚 have had the privilege of working with Roma for many years during her service as a Via Senior Center Board Member and through projects with the Center for Generational Studies. The CGS was Dr. Hanks鈥� creation in 2011, a way to bring intergenerational thinking and programs to the forefront. She has used this as a vehicle for implementing programs and securing grant funding that has impacted the 20,000 seniors Via serves annually,鈥� Estes said. 鈥淪he is a true visionary and has a passion for bringing together youth and older adults to ensure that the 鈥榞reatest generation鈥� has a pipeline of individuals to nurture and care for them in the future.鈥�

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